Even the legends, which were uncritically accepted from the days of Livy to those of our grandfathers, are provokingly silent upon the very points as to which we would fain get at least a hint.

There was a good deal of patience to be exercised by them also; for that railway-train was provokingly behind time, and there was "waiting" to be done accordingly.

She is most provokingly humble, and ostentatiously sensible to her inferiority.

John always dressed most provokingly correct on these occasions.

"So I perceive," and she still laughed provokingly.

He was most provokingly sarcastic; he turned everything to ridicule; he remorselessly punctured every gas-bag he met; he heaped contempt on every snob; he threw stones at every glass house,and everybody lived in one.

I do not wonder that she scolded him, or became very violent in her temper; since, in her worst tirades, he only provokingly laughed at her.

"You mustn't have too many or we shan't take any interest in them," Kitty answered provokingly.

The old Mumbo-Jumbo is occasionally paraded at the North, but, however many old women may be frightened, the pulse of the stock-market remains provokingly calm.

I sometimes throw out in the shop remote hints about the sale of books, all the while meaning only mine; but they have no skill in construing the timid wishes of a modest author; they are not aware of his suppressed sighs, nor see the blushes of hope and fear tingling his cheek; they are provokingly silent, and petrify the imagination.... Believe me, with the truest regard, Yours ever, I. D'ISRAELI.

The word cow, which is commonly referred to an imitative radical, he is provokingly reserved about; and under chew he hints at no relation between the name of the action and that of the capital ruminant animal.[a]

"You're just as provokingly secretive as these navy men," she taunted him.

He put the greatest number of questions and understood the least French, and all the while there was a most provokingly keen, suspicious glitter in his little gray eyes.

" "Yes," argued Dudley, provokingly; "but he was the first one that thought of it!"

"Maggie Blake, how can you study so hard, and be so provokingly good?"

It is too round and soft to look well screwed up that way," he said provokingly.

And he smiled provokingly.

Presently they talked again, quick, short speech, provokingly blurred to the private's ears.

Painters have been provokingly deceived by this stratagem, and have in vain attempted the portraits of such persons, who were able at every instant to produce a new physiognomy.

The Provincial legislatures still wrangled, and the government at London was provokingly slow.

We were served with provokingly delicious plats, at a price absurdly moderate compared with what is extorted from us in the hotels.

Our progress through the day was but slow; the wind light and most provokingly foul at West-North-West.

"And is marriage so very disagreeable to you even in thought?" demanded Lord St. Eval, still provokingly.

And from where Zara was trying to talk to the Duke she saw the woman shiver and look down provokingly and her husband stretch his long limbs out; and a sudden, unknown sensation of blinding rage came over her, and she did not hear a syllable of the Duke's speech.

We did not get into Clifton till near ten; the rain would prevent his coming to meet us, and the next morning we very provokingly missed each other, though Mr. Ramsay consoled himself with writing a note.